Hatchery in CA .....update, I ordered!

[wolftracks]

I've always ordered from across the country.

After x amount of miles they are flown, not trucked in. They get here fast. I've also never had a DOA or even lost a chick shipped in. Knock on wood!

You'll hear from more people that have bad experiences than good ones, only because anyone who has lost even one chick or has never had chicks shipped in more than once and lost a couple will let you know about it.

There are more successful shipments than shipments gone bad.

Hope you get the breeds you want.

 

[mypicklebird]

1545 miles from Webster City (McMurray) Iowa to CA. Several times. Good results. No losses a few times. One DOA once.

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[funnybirds]

I got my day old chicks from Chickens for Backyards.

EXCELLENT customer service. They are in Texas. We are in California.

They got here just fine. All are thriving and healthy.

Pretty good selection too. I believe they are a sister company with Randall Burkey Hatcheries.

Anyway, I'd do it again.

I wouldnt stress about the distance as much as I would about the weather right now.

 

[bock]

Thank you! I think I am convinced. LOL. I like Meyer, but I like Mcmurray's selection too. Is there one you would recommend over the other?

 

[briteday]

I ordered my ISA browns from Townline in MI last year, shipped 3000 miles to NV and the only DOA's were 2 that obviously got squashed in a corner of the box that seemed to have been crushed during the shipping process. And since Townline sent 4 extra...I was still ahead b 2! The customer service was awesome and they got the birds here on the second morning after shipment. They were all just fine and all grew out to be fantastic birds.

I also have reservations about ordering from far away. I've decided after several experiences (some good and some not so good) that if you order from a small hatchery you will get better results. They just have a more personal touch to getting each and every customer satisfied with a good shipment. They are not working on volume so they have to make it up in quality to encourage customers continued business. My experiences with large hatcheries has not been that great.

 

[AlbionWood]

Quote:
Both Belt and Privett list Delawares. What more could one want?

 

[HHandbasket]

For whatever it's worth, if you do go with Belt, I hear good things about them & that they take good care of their birds (and I hear this from people whose opinions I value). I have also heard that if you call them, they may have what you are looking for. I have not tried calling them myself, as this is just what I have heard from somebody somewhere along the line (you know how it is... we're always talking about chickens with other chickenfolk). I have considered getting chicks from there in the future myself, as I am not far from there, but I am no longer considering it--not because of Belt, but because we decided that when we get a place big enough to have more chickens, we're going to get an incubator/hatcher/brooder setup and buy eggs from people on BYC and hatch out our own.

 

[The Chickinn]

I order ALL my birds from Welp Hatchery, in Iowa. I never had more than 5 DOAs at once, and that was in an order of 150 chicks.

 

[bock]

Well......I just e-mailed my order!

I decided to go with Belt in the end. They didn't have the Speckled Sussex or some of the Leghorn colors, but that is okay. They will be shipped Wednesday, February 23, 2011. I am really excited! I hope they all arrive happy and healthy.

I can hardly wait!

 

[pkw]

I always order from McMurray Hatchery and I live in California also and I have had good luck with them